


Fallen Kings and Fake Confidence

by Aston (AstonT)



Series: Character Studies [6]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Character Study, because i do - Freeform, can you tell that I like torturing characters yet, mentions of insecurity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-27
Updated: 2017-10-27
Packaged: 2019-01-25 07:40:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12526348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AstonT/pseuds/Aston
Summary: Song playing while writing: King - Lauren Aquilina





	Fallen Kings and Fake Confidence

**Author's Note:**

> So this was originally posted to tumblr.   
> I added a note to it there that I'm going to add here too.   
> I almost have my notes completed for Haikyuu (I still have notes to take for season three on a rewatch, but I haven't been bothered enough yet)  
> But I wanted to write something for Oikawa?  
> So I decided I'd do this!

The funny thing was, Oikawa Tooru was well aware of exactly why people stayed so distant from him.

He had always been acutely aware of everyone's reactions to him, was able to play those reactions and be whoever they wanted him to be.

It was a skill he wished he had never developed because now he wasn't sure how to handle anything.

In the face of failure, he had no idea how he was meant to act.

"You're not acting like yourself", well yes, _thank you_ for that information but _who was he really?_

He'd played to everyone else's tune so long that he didn't know anymore.

And maybe that's why it was so easy for Kageyama Tobio to take his place.

He couldn't stand the idea, but his kouhai was good. He had skill.

He wasn't a shattered piece of a person like Oikawa.

But he had too much pride to let anyone see him in such a sorry state.

So he did what he did best and threw up an act that slowly cemented itself as the real him.

Easy, natural confidence, a perfect facade of control.

Seeing Kageyama again in high school, on opposite sides of the court almost shattered that.

Hinata was a pleasant surprise, though.

Not only was he a puzzle Oikawa wanted to study, he also gave Oikawa the best boost of actual confidence possible.

_Grand King._

Oikawa liked the sound of that.

He had felt like a peasant for far too long when he was acting as a leader, a ruler.

So slowly, his act of self-centered, narcissistic confidence faded into a softer sort of confidence.

It wasn't a big change, no one noticed, but it felt better.

The misery he'd been drowning himself in lightened.

Of course it would take a tiny crow to give him the confidence to fly for himself.

Just like he'd needed Kageyama to show him just how quickly he could be dethroned if he didn't put enough effort and care into it.

He was ready to take back his crown.


End file.
